Anand Kumar, who founded Bihar's free coaching centre Super 30
that has helped many to enter the Indian Institutes of Technology
(IITs), was conferred Wednesday the state's highest award in
education. »

Patna:
A free coaching centre, Super 30, which helps children of
labourers, tea stall owners and peons in Bihar reach the
prestigious IIT engineering institutes, has impressed people in
Japan too, its founder Anand Kumar says.

He says that in the last few years, Super 30 has became quite
popular in Japan after several newspapers, magazines and TV
channels covered his inspiring life story and the impact of his
'Super 30' school, which has so far helped 236 students from
underprivileged families clear the highly competitive IIT-JEE,
drawing worldwide attention.

"All the eyes of Super 30 students shine with hope, while the eyes
of Japanese children look exhausted due to computer games," said a
Japanese in his response to a documentary on Super 30, which was
shown on Japan's popular TV Channel NHK channel.

Another Japanese described the Super 30 as a "learning
experience". "We realized how crucial education is. We really have
to learn from India how to survive in the 21st century," he said
after watching the documentary on Super 30.

These are from among responses of dozens of Japanese that were
sent to Kumar from Emiko Amagawa, producer of NHK, Japan
Broadcasting Corporation, to show the kind of praise his efforts
have fetched in that country.

"Watching Super 30 students at the Ramanujan School of Mathematics
make tremendous efforts to become engineers and contribute to the
community and the country, I understand why India can and will
grow dramatically," another Japanese said in his response.

"We have been receiving phone calls and messages from the audience
in Japan. They are very impressed by all that you are doing and
the passion of your students," Emiko Amagawa informed Kumar.

"The response of the Japanese after watching a documentary on
Super 30 has encouraged me to work hard to provide more
opportunity to talented poor students," Kumar told IANS.

He credited the success of Super 30 mainly to his dedicated team
of teachers and sincere bunch of students, who toil to achieve
their goal. "I am happy with the recognition Super 30 has got. It
was started to help talented students from poor families, who
would otherwise find it difficult even to continue studies. Such
recognition will give me strength to continue," he added.

Two weeks ago, the journalists of NHK came up with a book, "Indo
No Shougeki", published by Japan's well-known publisher Bhunshun.
The book has a chapter exclusively on Kumar's struggle and the
success of his pioneering Super 30 initiative. Priced at 1,800 yen
(RS.1,050), the book describes him as a 'wind of change', who is
contributing to India's rapid progress.

The book is quite popular among the students of the Japan
Management School. "We had seen and read a lot about Super 30
through TV programmes and newspapers. It is amazing and shows how
and why India is progressing fast. The answer lies in education
and the passion for it," said Takyuki Doi, a student from Tokyo,
who visited Super 30 a few days ago.

The book revolves round India's development story. It says that
education is at the root of India's progress march and people like
Anand Kumar are lending strength to it. It says how Kumar, who
could not go to Cambridge for want to money, is helping several
talented students from the underprivileged families reach out for
higher education.

Former Miss Japan Norika Fujiwara came to Patna to make a film on
Super 30 for Man Union. Japan's leading newspaper Yomiuri also
carried an exhaustive feature on Anand and his Super 30 School.

Kumar, who started the Ramanujan School of Mathematics in 1992,
founded the Super 30 in 2002.

Most of the successful candidates have been from the
underprivileged sections of society. They are provided with free
food, lodging and free coaching.

The students have to pass a competitive test to get into Super 30
and then commit themselves to a year of 16-hour study each day,
Kumar said.

Two Delhi
University (DU) employees have been arrested for supplying fake
caste certificates to students for admission to colleges, police
said Thursday.
Neeraj Sharma and Sanjit Mahajan are both permanent employees of
»

The
Supreme Court Thursday slammed private medical and dental colleges
for lapses in admissions and said it will have to step in if
things do not improve.
The apex court vacation bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and
»

Picture of the Day

They are not high-profile celebrities,
but at least 33 wildlife lovers have adopted animals at Bhopal's Van Vihar National Park here
under their unique guardianship scheme. Others can also do the
same. A board is put outside the enclosure with the name of the
sponsor.

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